The state government is expected to release a white paper on the irrigation sector in the Assembly aiming to nail the BRS.
Published Feb 07, 2024 | 10:39 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 07, 2024 | 10:42 PM
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and BRS supremo KCR
The budget session of the Telangana Assembly, beginning on 8 February, promises to be stormy. The ruling Congress and the Opposition BRS are sharpening their knives for a showdown.
After Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy “abused” the Leader of the Opposition and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao, blaming him for the injustice done to the state in the apportionment of Krishna River waters, the BRS hit back in equal measure.
The BRS said the Congress had sacrificed the state’s interests within two months of coming to power by surrendering control of the Krishna irrigation projects to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
It has already planned a public meeting on the issue in Nalgonda on 13 February to be addressed by KCR.
The BRS upped its ante after Revanth Reddy dared it to face him in a debate in the Assembly on who had harmed the interests of Telangana more on the question of sharing Krishna river waters.
He asked KCR, his son KTR and nephew T Harish Rao to come to the Assembly with additional sets of clothes in case the debate extended for a long time.
He said he would have the doors of the Assembly closed to ensure that the proceedings would not be interrupted.
The state government is expected to release a white paper on the irrigation sector in the Assembly aiming to nail the BRS.
It has already entrusted the investigation into the irregularities in executing the Medigadda barrage, part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), to the Vigilance and Enforcement department.
It has since submitted its report to the government, which is expected to be released in the Assembly to put the Opposition on the mat.
On the other hand, BRS is getting ready with documentary evidence to show how it protected the interests of Telangana during its 10-year rule.
It has also readied the minutes of various KRMB meetings, which showed that it had vehemently opposed handing over the projects on Krishna River to the KRMB because it was detrimental to the state’s interests.
The friction between the two parties turned into a confrontation recently after Revanth Reddy produced documents to suggest that KCR helped the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh to devise the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) on the foreshore of Srisailam Project to draw 8 tmcft of water every day.
The chief minister argued that if AP drew that much water, little would be left for Telangana, claiming KCR had yet allowed it to happen.
He also said there was a corruption angle in the decision, with KCR allegedly benefiting from it.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said KCR, after allowing RLIS’ design to draw 8 tmcft of water from Srisaislam every day, spent more than ₹83,000 crore on KLIS for lifting 2 tmcft of water per day.
He said that showed how KCR put personal interests before the state’s.
The ruling party is also planning to smother the BRS by ordering an inquiry into the ₹40,000-crore Mission Bhagiratha works, with allegations surfacing that irregularities have occurred in their execution.
As far as “surrendering the state’s rights on projects on Krishna River” is concerned, the Congress government stands on thin ice since the minutes of the KRMB meeting held last month show that it consented to handing over the projects to the KRMB, notwithstanding its vehement denials.
If the BRS tries to pin the ruling party down based on the minutes of the KRMB meeting, the Congress has plans to rake up irregularities in the execution of KLIS and the sinking of piers of the Medigadda project.
